Lesson 25: The Young Man Convinced

The late Robert T. Grant once said that while travelling, he was sitting in the train reading his Bible, and he noticed the people around; many with nothing to do. He opened up his bag and got out some gospel tracts, and after distributing them he sat down again. A young man left his own seat and moved over to the preacher, and asked, “What did you give this to me for?”

“Why, it is a message from heaven for you, to give you rest in your soul,” replied Mr. Grant.

The young man sneered and said, “I used to believe in that stuff years ago, but when I went to school and got educated, I threw it all overboard. I found out there’s nothing to it.”

“Will you let me read to you something I was going over just a moment ago?” Mr. Grant asked. “‘The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.’ Is there nothing in that, young man? I have known the blessedness of that for many years. Is there nothing in it?”

The young man replied, "Go on, read what comes next.”

“‘He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’ Is there nothing in that?”

“Pardon me, sir, let me hear some more,” said the young man.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.’ Is there nothing in that?”

Then the young man cried, “Oh, forgive me, sir, there is everything in that! My mother died with those words upon her lips and begged me to trust her Savior, but I have gotten far away from Him. You have brought it all back. Tell me more.”


And as God’s servant opened up the truth as to the way of salvation, the young man who had been so careless and unbelieving was convicted of his sin, and led to trust in Christ and confess Him as His own Savior right there in that train car.

Yes, there is everything in the blessed companionship of Christ, the Lord, both in life and in death, and it is this that gives the full assurance of hope.

But, unhappily, this assurance may become clouded and in a measure lost by spiritual negligence and carelessness in regard to prayer and feeding upon the Word. Therefore the need of such an exhortation as we have before us, which urges us to “show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.”

 Thought Question: 
How often can you be found studying God’s Word and in prayer with Him?
How can that possibly be important?